Ryan Snoddon - CBC Newfoundland & Labrador - Action News
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Ryan Snoddon - CBC Newfoundland & Labrador

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WHAT IS THE DEW POINT?

Humid.jpg

Hey Folks,
 
The dew point is something we don't talk much about here in NL. However with dew points on the rise and a muggy airmass moving in, I thought now would be a great time for a quick explainer. 

The dew point is related to the quantity of moisture in the air. Simply put, the higher the dew point is, the more moisture that is in the air. And the more moisture there is in the air, the more muggy it feels.
 
You see when it's hot and you sweat, that moisture on your body evaporates into the air, allowing your body to cool down through a process known as evaporative cooling. That sweat evaporates away very easily when the air is dry. However when the dew point is high and the air is moist or saturated, that sweat just can't evaporate away as quickly. As a result you feel uncomfortable or sticky.

Dew Point Scale Increasing.png
Here's an example:

With a temperature of 27 and a dew point of 16... it feels like 31... with the "Humidex".
With a temperature of 27 and a dew point of 18... it feels like 33
With a temperature of 27 and a dew point of 20... it feels like 34
With a temperature of 27 and a dew point of 25... it feels like 39
 
 
Ryan

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